Established in 1617, Tsukiji Hongwanji temple is the Tokyo headquarters of the Nishi Hongwanji Jodo Shinshu sect. The present temple, based on Indian architecture, was built in the 1930s.The temple is the only one in Japan which is under the direct control of the sect. Its head priest is the Monshu Abbot himself. April 8 is observed as Buddha's birthday, called Hana Matsuri ("Flower Festival) in Japan.

Entrance to Daishi Nakamise shopping arcade 大師仲見世

Gate to Kitain, a Tendai Buddhist temple.

Tsukiji Hongwanji temple gate with wisteria crest.The emblem is a wisteria flower and symbol of the Jodo Shinshu sect.

Daishi Nakamise shopping arcade leads to the temple

Kitain Main hall, Kawagoe

Temple gate and flag

Lots of daruma shops

Main hall

Play room for kids on Hanamatsuri

Daruma shop

Pagoda at Kitain temple, Kawagoe

Hanamatsuri altar

Daruma

Pouring sweet tea over the BuddhaWhen the Buddha was born in Lumbini Garden in Nepal, sweet rain is said to have fallen. Thus, sweet tea is poured over the baby Buddha statue in the Hanamatsuri altar.

Daruma and maneki neko

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Hanamatsuri celebrates the Buddha's birthday on April 8. This is Tsukiji Honganji in Tokyo.The flowers symbolize Lumbini Garden where the Buddha was born in present-day Nepal.

Candy shop, always banging the knife

Over 500 stone statues of Rakan Buddhist disciples

Baby Buddha statueLadles are provided for pouring the sweet tea over the Buddha. Sweet tea is also provided to worshippers. It symbolizes the sweet rain that fell when the Buddha was born.

Gate built in 1977. 大山門

Carved during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Children dressed for the chigo parade, Tsukiji Hongwanji, TokyoIt took a long time before they could get all the kids to settle down for the picture and to get all the mothers out of the picture.

Path to main worship hall 大本堂

五百羅漢

Meaning "Long Life Temple," Chojuji's Hondo temple hall is a National Treasure. It belongs to the Tendai Buddhist Sect and one of the Konan Sanzan Temple Trio along with Jorakuji and Zensuiji Temples.Chojuji temple Entrance gate + fall colors.

A stone's throw from Chojuji Temple, Jorakuji Temple (est. 708) of the Tendai Buddhist Sect boasts two National Treasures with its main hall and three-story pagoda. It is one of the Konan Sanzan Temple Trio accessible by bus from JR Ishibe Station.In the deep-green forest, you can see part of the pagoda's roof.

Belonging to the Buzan School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism, Gokokuji Temple was built by the mother of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi in 1682. The Gekkoden Hall was moved here from Miidera temple in Otsu, Shiga Pref. The Tahoto Pagoda was modeled after the Tahoto at Ishiyamadera in Otsu, Shiga. Okuma Shigenobu, founder of Waseda Univ., is also buried here. This is the entrance to Gokokuji Temple, Niomon Gate. It's right next to Gokokuji Station on the Yurakucho subway line. 仁王門

Senryuji Temple, Sanmon Gate, which is the front gate. Reconstructed in 1859, and renovated in 2006-2007. The temple was founded by a monk named Roben 良弁 in 765. 山門

People coming to Takahata Fudoson temple on Feb. 3, Setsubun day.

Belonging to the Shingon Sect's Buzan school, this is one of Tokyo's major temples. The real name is Sojiji (總持寺), but everyone calls it Nishi-Arai Daishi.The temple grounds feature many flowering trees and plants including an unusual species of cherry blossoms which bloom in winter. Daishi-mae Station. Much larger station than I expected. Probably for the New Year's crowds. 大師前駅

Japan's most famous temple, with the world's oldest wooden buildings (over 1,300 years old), is also the country's first World Heritage Site. Also called Ikaruga-dera, the temple is the headquarters of the Shotoku-shu Buddhist Sect. Path to

Kawasaki Daishi Temple, Dai-hondo main worship hall 大本堂

Going to the chigo parade's starting point

After you pass through the Niomon Gate, this is what you see.1 comments

View after passing through the Sanmon Gate. Bell Tower ahead.

Sando path to temple from train station. 参道

Takahata Fudoson temple entrance 高幡不動尊

Daishi-mae Station 大師前駅. Nishi-Arai Daishi Temple was said have been founded by Priest Kobo Daishi in 826. One of the Kanto Region's Big Three Daishi Temples.

Admission charged. The 1,000 yen ticket gets you into the three major sights.

Incense burner

Psst, wanna know a secret? Kitain Temple, Kawagoe

White elephant to anchor the parade. Notice the Buddha altar riding on the top. Before she gave birth to the Buddha, Queen Maya dreamed of a white elephant.

Well

Bell Tower, reconstructed in 1844. It stands between the Sanmon Gate and Hondo main hall.

Entrance to Takahata Fudoson Kongoji temple

The setsubun bean-throwing starts with a memorial service, then a procession of the bean throwers and priests.

The main path to the temple is lined with the usual shops, but it is not aligned with the train station. The path from the train station takes a different route.

Nandaimon Gate 南大門

Hanamatsuri, Buddha's Birthday (April 8)

Oh man, I forgot my glasses!

Start of the Hanamatsuri parade which also promotes traffic safety.The starting point was a nearby park.

Bell Tower

Well

Takahata Fudoson Kongoji temple, Hino, Tokyo 高幡不動尊金剛寺

Priests in setsubun procession within the temple grounds.

Main path to temple

Horyuji temple, Nandaimon Gate, National Treasure 南大門（国宝）

Hanamatsuri

Boo-hoo! My cat ran away!

Parade starts...

Map of temple grounds. Belonging to the Buzan School of the Shingon Sect of Buddhism, Gokokuji temple was built by the mother of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi in 1682.

Hondo main hall. 本堂

Niomon Gate, Important Cultural Property from the Muromachi Period 仁王門 (重要文化財)

Priests in setsubun procession within the temple grounds.

Sanmon Gate, the main gate. 山門

Horyuji is one of Japan's most famous temples, with the world's oldest wooden buildings (over 1,300 years old). Japan's first World Heritage Site.

Hanamatsuri, pouring sweet tea over the baby Buddha.

Baton-twirling club from the Chiyoda Jogakuin Junior/Senior High School followed by the elephant千代田女学院

Steps going up to an inner gate called Furomon 不老門

Hondo main hall. 本堂

Niomon Gate

Priests in setsubun procession coming through Niomon Gate

Sanmon Gate

Also called Ikaruga-dera, the temple is the headquarters of the Shotoku-shu Buddhist Sect founded by Shotoku Taishi.

Serving sweet tea for free for all.

Chigo children

Furomon Gate (Ageless Gate) 不老門

Carved stone lantern in front of Hondo

Fudo Hall on left and Horinkaku on the right, Takahata Fudoson Kongoji temple, Hino, Tokyo

Priest blowing a conch shell

Food stalls lead you to the main worship hall.

西院伽藍

Inside Dai-hondo main hall at Kawasaki Daishi 大本堂

On the road in front of the temple

View from Furomon Gate

Carved stone lantern

Priests in setsubun procession coming through Niomon Gate

Incense burner 大香炉

Dai-Hondo Hall, Nishi-Arai Daishi, Tokyo 大本堂According to legend, when prayers were offered to save villagers from an epidemic, pure water gushed out of a hitherto dried-up well and got rid of the plague. Since the well was on the west side of the temple hall, this area came to be called "Nishi-Arai" (New Well in the West). The temple is famous for warding off fire and misfortune.

View from Dai-hondo

Baton-twirling club, Tsukiji Hongwanji, Tokyo 千代田女学院 バトン部千代田女学院

View from Hondo hall

Festival beauties included.

Putting smoke on one's head.

Incense burner

Map of Horyuji. Large complex of buildings. Only two precincts are open to the public.

Fudo-mon Gate and Prayer and Peace Monument 不動門 「祈りと平和」の像「祈りと平和」の像

Female schoolmates of the baton twirlers block the cameras of unrelated photographers when the baton twirlers passed. カメラ小僧を妨害するバトン部の先輩たち。This was the first time for me in Japan to see people blocking photographers from taking pictures at a festival. They did it to me as well. If they don't want to be photographed, why do they appear in this public festival??

Fall colors are also nice. Accessible by bus from Ishibe Station or walk from Jorakuji. Path to temple. MAP

In the deep-green forest, you can see part of the pagoda's roof. You can walk to Jorakuji (means "Constant Comfort Temple") from Chojuji Temple. From Ishibe Station, best to take a bus to Chojuji first, then walk downhill to Jorakuji. Entra

Band from the Chiyoda Jogakuin Girls Junior/Senior High SchoolNo problem photographing them.

Names of the bean throwers.

Fudo Hall

Nagahama's most famous temple belongs to the Jodo Shinshu sect, Otani school. Omotesando path to Daitsuji.

The other pond is Benzaiten Pond. The natural spring feeding water to the pond once dried up. In recent years, efforts were made to supply water to the pond. A deep well was dug to feed water to the pond which has koi carp. 霊泉（弁財天池）

Bentendo Hall 弁天堂

2006 NHK Taiga Drama "Komyo ga Tsuji" Exhibition mapThe temple was one of the venues for the special exhibition held for the NHK Taiga Drama "Komyo ga Tsuji" in 2006.

Wooden boxes containing the beans (peanuts) and mikan tangerines to be thrown to the crowd.